Man in the heavens, wins by lying down to prove the truth

Chapter 355 True Yin Returns to Righteousness and Reunites with the Spiritual Origin; Pure Land and True Suchness Appear Before One's Eyes
"Needless to say, it must be some evil spirit that stole the treasure. Let me, Old Sun, go and investigate."

After Wukong finished speaking, he looked at Bajie and Sha Wujing and said, "My two junior brothers, you must protect our master well."

"Don't worry, brother!"

Pigsy and Sandy are now counting on Monkey, so we won't go into that.

……

Auspicious clouds rolled by, and golden light shone brightly.

It is said that Wukong rode in the magnificent form of a saint before arriving at Leopard Head Mountain.

"All demons, big and small, inside the cave, come out and be bound at once!"

Above the auspicious clouds, Wukong unleashed his supernatural powers and shouted these words.

Suddenly, all sorts of demons and monsters began to make a ruckus in the Tiger's Mouth Cave on Leopard Head Mountain.

A moment later, a yellow lion spirit, leading a group of lesser demons, emerged from the cave and looked at the monkey.

"Where did you come from, and why are you disturbing my sacred land?"

The yellow lion demon questioned Wukong.

Wukong simply did some quick calculations with his fingers and then laughed, "You little kitten, quickly return the treasures you stole last night, and you'll be fine."

The yellow lion demon immediately retorted, "That was something I obtained through the Dharma, how can you say I stole it?"

Wukong raised his hand and pointed, declaring a decision.

Instantly, the yellow lion demon froze on the spot, unable to move, its eyes filled with terror.

Upon seeing this, the lesser demons either knelt on the ground or scattered and fled.

Wukong glanced at the Yellow Lion Demon and said that he was a true cultivator, not a demon, and that the demon possessed a pure aura.

"I see you haven't done anything wrong, so I, Old Sun, will forgive you this time. Quickly hand over the treasure, or I will surely be executed without mercy."

After saying this, Wukong released the immobilization spell.

Immediately, the yellow lion demon hurriedly said, "Immortal, I was blind to your greatness. I will return the treasure immediately."

The yellow lion demon scrambled and crawled, and in a short while, he brought over three divine weapons and three pieces of spirit iron.

"I see you have done a good job of restraining the demons, so I will let you go this time, so that you may know my name, I am the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong. Now go." Wukong put away the treasure and said this.

This yellow lion spirit also has merits.

In the deep mountains and forests, it is inevitable that some creatures will gain wisdom and embark on a path of spiritual practice.

Moreover, it was under the control of this Yellow Lion Spirit that all the lesser demons were reformed, and they not only had no evil aura, but also no malevolent energy, clearly indicating that they had done almost no evil.

Even compared to some people, he is far superior.

If we kill this Yellow Lion Demon, without his restraint, countless lesser demons will go astray.

After Wukong rode away on a cloud, the Yellow Lion Demon finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Then the Yellow Lion Spirit seemed to remember something and scrambled towards the southeast.

To the southeast, there is a Bamboo Mountain, and within the mountain lies a blessed land called the Nine-Bend Winding Cave.

Inside the cave dwells a great demon named Nine Spirits Primordial Saint, who possesses great supernatural powers.

The Yellow Lion Spirit and his other brothers all worshipped the Nine Spirits Primordial Saint as their ancestor.

"Grandpa, your grandson has gotten himself into big trouble!"

Upon seeing the Nine-Headed Lion Saint, the Yellow Lion Demon prostrated himself in a flustered manner.

The Nine-Headed Lion Saint, full of energy, calmly asked, "My dear grandson, there's no need to panic. Please explain everything. With your great-grandfather here, there's no need for such behavior."

The Yellow Lion Spirit hurriedly replied, "Grandfather, please listen to my story. Last night, when I arrived in front of Yuhua Prefecture, I saw a treasure emitting countless rays of divine light. I used my magic to capture it. I never expected that this treasure was actually the treasure of a great supernatural being, known as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. Today, I found it, took the treasure, and left."

"The grandson knows he has committed a terrible crime and only seeks refuge with his great-grandfather."

Upon hearing this, the Nine-Headed Lion sighed, "Your Wood Mother's mischief has offended someone you shouldn't have. If it were a few years ago, I wouldn't be afraid of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven."

"But now that Great Sage has cultivated the true Dao fruit and attained the Hunyuan Saint status, I am no match for him."

"However, that Great Sage has now achieved great success in his cultivation. Since he has let you go, there is no problem and no need to worry."

The yellow lion demon was still frightened. Seeing this, the Nine-Headed Lion said, "Since that's the case, I'll go with you to the Jade Flower Kingdom to talk to the Great Sage and resolve this grievance. What do you want?"

"Thank you, great-grandfather. Thank you, great-grandfather."

The yellow lion spirit kowtowed repeatedly without saying anything more.

Immediately, the Nine-Headed Lion Saint rode on auspicious light, rolling past and heading towards the Jade Flower Kingdom.

Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Yuhua, Wukong was discussing the monsters of Leopard Head Mountain with Tang Sanzang and his disciples and nephews when they suddenly saw auspicious clouds rolling in from the southeast.

"Oh? Such auspicious clouds, I wonder which celestial being has come here."

Bajie gazed at the vast auspicious clouds and spoke to the people around him.

And just as Pigsy finished speaking, the auspicious cloud descended and landed in front of everyone.

"Great Sage, greetings from the front."

The Nine-Headed Lion Saint bowed in greeting, and the Yellow Lion Demon beside him did the same.

“That makes sense, that makes sense. May I ask who you are?” Wukong returned the greeting and smiled.

The Nine-Spirited Sage said, "Our master is the Great Sage of Salvation from Suffering, who calls himself the Nine-Spirited. He has come here to apologize to the Great Sage for his unfilial grandson."

Upon hearing this, Wukong couldn't help but laugh and say, "I see. This is a trivial matter, no need to take it to heart."

Seeing that Sun Wukong was so easy to talk to, the Nine-Headed Lion could only sigh inwardly, realizing that after all, he had attained the Great Dao Fruit, and his mind and realm were no longer what they used to be.

The crown prince was quite clever; seeing this scene, he immediately ordered a banquet to be prepared to entertain the saints.

The singing, dancing, and other musical performances here will not be mentioned here.

……

Having overcome this difficult time, the pilgrims stayed in Yuhua Kingdom for a while longer, only to say that the three princes had all achieved some success in their cultivation before departing.

Leaving Yuhua Kingdom, one arrives at Jinping Prefecture of Tianzhu. Here, another trial awaits. Watch as Sun Wukong, with his axe and halberd, cuts through the cold and heat, overcomes another tribulation, and heads straight for the capital of Tianzhu.

The journey to the West was peaceful, with the group eating and sleeping in the wind and water. After more than half a month, they suddenly came to see a high mountain.

Looking at the towering mountain, Tang Sanzang cautiously said, "That mountain is extraordinary; be extra careful."

Wukong laughed and said, "This place leads to Mount Ling, where it is unlikely to encounter any demons or evil spirits."

Tang Sanzang shook his head and said, "It's best to be cautious."

Wukong nodded and said, "Then I will listen to Master."

They said that after passing several more mountains, they saw a large temple by the roadside, so the pilgrims went inside to visit it.

Then a Zen master came out, with an extraordinary demeanor and a face like a full moon, just as the scriptures described the man from Xiniu Hezhou with a face like a full moon.

Upon seeing this, Tang Sanzang quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Venerable Zen Master."

The old Zen master returned the greeting and said, "No, no, may I ask where the Venerable Master has come from?"

Tang Sanzang then recounted how he had been ordered by the Tang Emperor to travel east to worship Buddha and seek Buddhist scriptures.

Immediately, the Zen master was greatly surprised, put his hands together and hurriedly said, "So you are the holy monk sent by the Heavenly Khan. I have long heard of the glorious Tang Dynasty and the blessings bestowed upon all nations by Heaven, but I have never had the chance to meet you."

After exchanging pleasantries, Tang Sanzang and his companions settled down there.

That night, the sound of a woman crying suddenly rang out, startling Tang Sanzang and his companions.

The story goes that the pilgrims sought out the monks at the temple to inquire about the reason, but their answers were vague. A moment later, the abbot, an old Zen master, came over, dismissed the novice monks, and then knelt down to pay homage to Tang Sanzang.

Tang Sanzang was greatly surprised and quickly asked, "Why is the Zen Master like this?"

At this point, the Zen master finally said, "On this day last year, when I was in the midst of the moon of enlightenment, I suddenly heard a gust of wind, followed by a mournful sound."

"Upon entering the garden, the disciple saw an exceptionally beautiful woman who claimed to be a princess from India, who had been blown there by the wind while admiring flowers under the moon."

"Upon hearing this, the disciple immediately locked her in the cell, leaving only a small hole for passing tea and food."

"Then the disciple told the monks that he was a demon and that I had bound him, but that we monks are compassionate and would not harm him. We gave him two meals of coarse tea and coarse food every day to keep him alive."

“That woman was clever and immediately understood my intention. Fearing that she would tarnish the reputation of the monks, she pretended to be crazy, sleeping in urine and excrement. It has been exactly one year now.”

"Over the past year, I have repeatedly gone to the city to beg for alms and inquire about the princess, only to find out that the princess has never disappeared."

"Therefore, I will keep a close watch on that woman. Whether she is a real princess or a demon in disguise, she must not be released."

"Now that we are fortunate to have met our Guru, I earnestly hope that he will go to the capital and use his power to clarify things, firstly to save the wicked, and secondly to demonstrate his supernatural abilities!"

The Zen master's words were truly insightful.

It is said that even a stunningly beautiful woman would find it difficult to protect herself in a temple filled with men.

Don't say it's a Buddhist sanctuary.

Have you not heard: True Arhats do not reside in temples, and true Bodhisattvas do not dwell in monasteries?

The temple is full of people who are still practicing and have not yet achieved enlightenment.

Having achieved cultivation, they had long since transcended their mortal form and ascended to the sacred mountain.

Those who haven't achieved enlightenment are just ordinary people, and they are prone to lust and desire. That's why the Zen master locked the woman up and spoke to the monks in this way.

If that woman is a demon, then the monks will be protected.

If that woman is indeed the princess, then the princess has been saved.

"Wukong, what do you think?"

Tang Sanzang looked at the pilgrim beside him.

The traveler laughed and said, "Since we've met, it must be fate, and we should be bound together."

Upon hearing this, the old Zen master repeatedly bowed in gratitude.

The next morning, the pilgrims got up early and set off for the capital.

……

Two flowers bloom, one branch each.

Now, the King of India, who loved flowers, collected all sorts of rare and exotic plants and gathered them in a garden, creating a magnificent landscape.

It is said that a few years ago, the king was enjoying the moonlit night in the royal garden with his queens and princesses when he attracted the attention of an evil spirit who abducted the real princess, and she was transformed into a fake princess.

The evil spirit was originally a celestial beast. Knowing that Tang Sanzang had arrived here on this day, this month, and this hour, it took advantage of the nation's wealth to build a decorated tower and throw an embroidered ball, intending to recruit Tang Sanzang as its spouse and absorb his primordial yang energy to become a Taiyi Immortal, a heretical but orthodox path.

On this day, at noon, the pilgrims were on their way to the government office where the official documents were exchanged, intending to pass under the decorated tower.

The fake princess saw this from afar and immediately lit incense to worship the heavens, hoping for a marriage.

After all the formalities were completed, Tang Sanzang and his entourage arrived at the bottom of the building.

The fake princess quickly grabbed the embroidered ball, stared at Tang Sanzang, and threw it down, hitting Tang Sanzang on the head.

Tang Sanzang was immediately startled and before he could react, he heard the maids upstairs shouting, "The princess has beaten up a handsome monk!"

Immediately, a group of people rushed forward.

Upon seeing this, Pigsy quickly used a spell to reveal his true form as a pig's head, frightening the group of people so much that they dared not approach.

At this moment, Tang Sanzang finally came to his senses and saw the princess.

"Disciple, is that princess real?"

Wukong immediately recognized the demonic aura and said, "It's fake, it's a rabbit spirit. But we can't subdue the demon here. The followers all know that the princess has been kidnapped by the demon, so the princess can't survive."

"My disciple is merciful." Tang Sanzang immediately understood.

After some twists and turns, a group of people escorted Tang Sanzang and his entourage into the palace.

After learning the whole story, the king was overjoyed and told Tang Sanzang and the princess that after their marriage, they should go to the Western Paradise to worship Buddha and seek scriptures.

Mount Ling is located not far west of the capital of India, and all living beings who come and go do not wish to climb Mount Ling.

However, none of them were able to climb the mountain and thus had no chance to see the true face of the Buddha.

Now, if I were to teach my own daughter to use the name of the holy monk to pay homage to the Buddha, it would be a kind of predestined connection.

“Holy Monk and Prince Consort, the vegetarian feast is ready. My daughter is about to arrive, so let us perform the nuptial wine ceremony.”

The king led Tang Sanzang and the others to their seats. Before long, the queen arrived with a group of beautiful women and reached out to pull the fake princess along.

At this point, Wukong could no longer hold back and immediately shouted, "Demon, how long are you going to keep up this act?"

Having said that, Wukong's figure flashed and appeared in front of the fake princess, grabbing her slender wrist and cursing, "You wicked beast! You've made this fake real; you deserve to die!"

The fake princess was greatly surprised upon hearing this. She never expected that even with her protective treasure, Sun Wukong would still see through her true form.

"Shh!"

It was said that this demon possessed a rare treasure, and immediately, using the power of the treasure, she performed a miraculous escape. Her clothes, hairpins, jewelry, and all other belongings fell to the ground, and she flew into the air.

Wukong had already made preparations and used a technique called "drawing a circle on the ground to imprison" to prevent anyone from leaving the palace.

"Beast, courting death!"

Wukong was furious and drew his golden cudgel, ready to kill the rabbit demon.

The reason that Wukong wanted to kill was that the rabbit spirit was still impersonating the real princess. The spirit was naked, with a curvaceous and alluring figure, and every detail of her body was visible.

If Wukong hadn't used his magic to make the demon fly away, he probably would have killed the demon, and the real princess wouldn't have survived either.

With this swing of the bat, the world changed color.

Suddenly, the Milky Way shone down from the heavens, casting its light upon the demon and revealing her true form: the Jade Rabbit of the Moon Palace.

"Great Sage, Great Sage, please spare him."

It is said that the Old God of the Moon arrived riding on the moonlight, with the fairy Chang'e attending him.

Upon seeing this, Wukong immediately knew the origin of the demon and questioned her, "You old cunning woman, you didn't keep a close watch on your beasts and let them descend to the mortal realm to ruin people's reputations."

The old star lord hurriedly explained, "Great Sage, you may not know this, but the real princess was the Moon Goddess in her previous life. She once slapped this rabbit. Now, she has descended to the mortal world to be the princess. The rabbit has come here to settle its karma."

"But this rabbit should not have seduced the Tang Monk, and is guilty of a crime. I beg the Great Sage to forgive her."

Upon hearing this, Wukong put away his golden cudgel: "Since it's your own business, I won't interfere."

"However, the old star lord must reveal his true form before that mortal king and explain the cause and effect of the true and false princesses."

"Firstly, I will explain the reason for Su'e's banishment, and secondly, I will ask the king to welcome back Princess Su'e to fulfill my promise to the temple's Zen master."

Upon hearing this, the Star Lord quickly replied, "That is indeed the truth, that is indeed the truth."

Immediately, the Moon Goddess, Sun Wukong, and Chang'e appeared in the heavens, frightening the king so much that he trembled and immediately knelt down.

After the Moon Goddess finished explaining the causes and effects, she ordered the celestial banner to be turned, and together with the other Chang'e, they retrieved the Jade Rabbit and went straight to the Moon Palace.

At this point, the true Yin returns to its proper place and reunites with the spiritual essence, and the Pure Land of True Suchness is right before our eyes.

(End of this chapter)